In the March University Council meeting, Student Party SAM exercised its statutory Right of Initiative to submit three concrete, legally sound proposals to the Executive Board. These proposals weren’t drafted in a closed office; they were built directly from the feedback we gathered walking around campus and talking to YOU. We took your daily frustrations and turned them into formal policy. We didn’t just point out where the university is failing; we provided the exact blueprints to fix it. We proved once again that we don’t just talk about problems; We Get It Done.
The Initiatives:
- Ending the Passport Paywall: We formally proposed the use of the university’s funds to equitably compensate non-EEA student board members. Currently, international students are forced to pay up to €18,900 in tuition just to volunteer for a full-time board year (in which they don’t make use of their tuition). We provided the legal framework to end this massive democratic penalty.
- A ‘Caring and Connected’ Student Desk: We submitted a plan to transform the current Student Desk from a simple referral counter into a comprehensive “Student Affairs Office.” This new hub will integrate visible wellbeing support and accessible student representation, ensuring students with complex issues are no longer lost in a bureaucratic maze.
- “The Silent Light” Memorial Space: We proposed the installation of a permanent, zero-maintenance architectural light on campus. This will provide a physical, dignified space for the community to silently reflect and stand together following the loss of a student or staff member.
Also This Cycle:
- Protecting Student Wallets: The Executive Board attempted to push through a new policy that would force students to pay out-of-pocket for foreign language courses. SAM aggressively pushed back during the feedback rounds, making it clear we would never consent to a policy that prices students out of personal development. Knowing it wouldn’t pass our vote, the Board retracted the policy entirely.
- Occupational Health & Safety: We confronted the Board on their blind spot regarding student workers and board members. We demanded that student board rooms be included in ergonomic checks and that active students be allowed to train as Emergency Response Officers (BHV) to solve the university’s staffing shortages.
- AI Budget Oversight: We flagged financial gaps in the proposed €2.3 million AI plan, including €500,000 for “ghost pilots” without strict structural cost assessments or concrete plans.
Student Party SAM. We Get It Done.
